A Dozen Metabolic Boosters (and Stuff that can cause weight gain)

Every cell in your body plays a role in energy metabolism. The faster your basal metabolic rate, the more calories you burn. There are ways to speed it up and to slow it down.

Here are 12 things sure to slow you down.

Eating Inconsistently At Odd Times From Day To Day-Researchers suspect that eating at the same times every day trains the body to burn more calories between meals. Eat frequent, consistently sized meals to avoid binges and feel happier. Research from Liverpool John Moores University found that women who fluctuated between low- and high-calorie meals were less happy with their bodies than those whose plates packed a similar number of calories from meal to meal.

Pesticides-Organochlorines (chemicals in pesticides) can interfere with your body’s fat process and make it harder to lose weight, according to a Canadian study. Researchers found that dieters who ate the most toxins experienced a dip in metabolism and had a harder time losing weight. Opt for organic fruits and veggies as often as you can.

Drinking Water Containing Fluoride and Chlorine-Both chemicals in treated water supplies also interfere with normal thyroid function. If your thyroid is sluggish, your metabolism slows down and even becomes dysfunctional. Drinking fluoridated and chlorinated water supplies will guarantee at least some dysfunction in metabolic processes. Drink filtered water whenever possible. If you are not sure what is in your water run a comprehensive water test like

Not Getting enough sleep -Sleep deprivation reduces the amount of energy your body uses at rest, according to the German and Swedish researchers. Stay away from alcohol, fatty foods, coffee and chocolate at least 2 hours before bedtime.

Pharmaceuticals-The most popular medications in the world including antacids and drugs for diabetes, cholesterols and high blood pressure, all interfere with critical metabolic processes which dramatically reduce energy expenditure.

Eating Too Little– When you skimp on calories, your body switches into starvation mode, slowing your metabolic rate to conserve the fuel it’s got. You will never increase your metabolism by dramatically curbing your calorie intake. Always eat often and make good food choices!!

Lacking Protein– Make sure protein is a component in every meal. It assists your body in maintaining lean muscle. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of fish, 2 tablespoons of nuts daily. Research shows protein can up post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35%.

Sitting Too Long– It takes only 20 minutes in any fixed position to inhibit your metabolism. A research study has discovered that sitting for long periods increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease and death regardless of physical activity. 11 Disrupting Circadian Rhythms– Your internal clock directly controls the part of your cells that keeps your metabolism working optimally. But when you disrupt your so-called circadian rhythm — by crossing time zones, for instance — your cells don’t function the way they should and your metabolism suffers.12 Dehydration– All of your body’s cellular processes, including metabolism, depend on water. If you’re dehydrated, you could burn up to 2 percent fewer calories.